In a banknote processing apparatus, generally a large number of banknotes that have either been deposited or have been made ready for withdrawal are held within the apparatus. Therefore, for security reasons, the storage section for storing the banknotes has a sturdy safe casing provided with a lock and functioning as a safe. Banknotes that have been left behind by a customer and reject banknotes are also stored in the safe casing.
Explanation follows regarding an example of a conventional banknote processing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the external appearance of an automated teller machine. FIG. 2 shows an automated teller machine (referred to below as an ATM) 1. The ATM 1 is installed in an operational branch of a financial institution, or for example in a convenience store, gasoline stand or supermarket. The ATM 1 is connected through a communication line to a host computer (not shown in the drawings) administered and maintained by a financial institution.
The host computer includes a storage device (customer database, not shown in the drawings) stored with customer data, such as, account number, name, and savings balance data, for users. The ATM 1 performs transactions, such as, deposits and withdrawals while exchanging data with the host computer.
2 is a customer operation and display section provided on an upper portion of the front face of the apparatus. The customer operation and display section 2 is configured with a display section and a touch panel. The display section displays screens such as transaction selection screens and screens for guiding a customer through a transaction operation. The touch panel is employed for input operation of transaction selections made according to the display on the display section, and for input of data required for a transaction.
A card insertion and return slot 3 is provided at one side below the customer operation and display section 2. The card insertion and return slot 3 is the section where a customer-identifying card (referred to below as a cash card) is inserted when starting a transaction, and the section from which the cash card is returned when a transaction has been completed. The card insertion and return slot 3 is connected to a card processing section provided inside the apparatus. The card processing section reads out a code (number) for each financial institution and customer data, such as account number and name of the user, that have been stored on the cash card.
A ten-key section 4 is the section for customer input according to a transaction guidance screen displayed on the customer operation and display section 2, for example input of a personal identification number (PIN). The ten-key section 4 may also be configured as operation keys displayed on the customer operation and display section 2. The customer operation and display section 2 configured as illustrated is sloped so as to rise up, in order to make it difficult for a third party standing behind the user to read the PIN, and is provided at a substantially horizontal portion at a location on the apparatus front face that is obscured by the body of a customer.
5 is a receipt issuing slot provided at a location below the card insertion and return slot. The receipt issuing slot 5 is connected to a receipt processing section provided inside the apparatus, and the receipt processing section prints transaction receipts, and issues the receipts to customers.
6 is a proximity detector provided at a specific position on the apparatus front face. The proximity detector 6 is a sensor for detecting the approach of a customer to the ATM 1. The customer operation and display section 2 displays a transaction selection screen when the proximity detector 6 has detected a customer. 7 is an external shutter provided to a banknote deposit and withdrawal handling port positioned at a central portion below the customer operation and display section 2. 8 is a related banknote processing apparatus incorporated in the ATM 1, and has a banknote deposit processing function and a banknote withdrawal processing function. A detailed explanation regarding the related banknote processing apparatus 8 is given later.
9 is a controller that controls the ATM 1 overall. The controller 9 has a memory section 10 serving as a storage section and configured for example from RAM, ROM or a hard disk, in which programs such as a control program are stored. The controller 9 also has an interface section (not shown in the drawings) that acts as the connection interface to a host computer. Note that the ATM 1 is also equipped with many other functions and configuration elements that are not explained, such as a power supply section for supplying power to each of the sections.
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view illustrating an internal configuration of the conventional banknote processing apparatus 8. Explanation follows regarding the configuration of the banknote processing apparatus 8, with reference to FIG. 3. 11 is an internal shutter mounted to the banknote processing apparatus 8. The internal shutter 11 is provided so as to be positioned at the inside of the external shutter 7. The external shutter 7 can be swung open or closed in the arrow A direction using for example a motor (not shown in the drawings). The internal shutter 11 similarly can be opened or closed by moving in the substantially horizontal arrow B direction using for example a motor (not shown in the drawings). Sensors (not shown in the drawings) are respectively disposed on the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11 for detecting the open or closed positions of the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11.
12 is a deposit and withdrawal port. The deposit and withdrawal port 12 has functions to receive banknotes that have been introduced by a customer during a deposit transaction, separate the banknotes and draw them into the apparatus. The deposit and withdrawal port 12 also has functions for accumulating banknotes during a withdrawal transaction and is the section where payout to a customer is performed. The external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11 are in the open state when banknotes have been introduced into the deposit and withdrawal port 12 and also when banknotes are dispensed from the deposit and withdrawal port 12.
13 is a checking section provided for checking the authenticity and counting banknotes that have been deposited and banknotes being dispensed. 14 is a temporary holding section that temporarily holds banknotes during deposit and withdrawal processing.
15 are plural denomination specific cassettes provided for storing banknotes according to denomination. 16 is a reject note cassette that stores reject banknotes. 17 is a left-behind banknote storage section that stores banknotes that have been left behind. 18 is a safe casing, and the safe casing 18 internally houses the plural denomination specific cassettes 15, the reject note cassette 16 and the left-behind banknote storage section 17. The safe casing 18 is formed for example from thick metal plate and is provided with a lock so as to function as a sturdy safe.
19 is a conveying path that connects the deposit and withdrawal port 12, the checking section 13, the temporary holding section 14, each of the denomination specific cassettes 15, the reject note cassette 16 and the left-behind banknote storage section 17, for conveying banknotes therebetween. A switching section (not shown in the drawings) is provided at each of the branched points in the conveying path 19 for switching the conveying direction of the banknotes.
In banknote processing apparatus 8 as configured above, when a customer selects, for example, a deposit transaction using the customer operation and display section 2 of the ATM 1 and introduces banknotes into the deposit and withdrawal port 12, the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11 shut, and the introduced banknotes are separated into single banknotes and conveyed to the checking section 13. Then, in the banknote processing apparatus 8, checking is performed in the checking section 13 for such factors as the authenticity and denomination of the banknotes, and the banknotes are counted. After counting the banknotes are then conveyed to the temporary holding section 14 where they are temporarily held. A count result is displayed on the customer operation and display section 2 in the banknote processing apparatus 8 when checking, counting, and temporary storage, has been performed for all of the banknotes introduced into the deposit and withdrawal port 12. When the customer has seen and confirmed the count result, the banknote processing apparatus 8 feeds out the temporarily stored banknotes from the temporary holding section 14 and conveys the banknotes to the checking section 13. The banknote processing apparatus 8 then re-checks the denomination and the like and conveys the banknotes to the denomination specific cassettes 15 according to their denomination, and stores the banknotes according to denomination.
On the other hand, in the banknote processing apparatus 8, when a customer has selected a withdrawal transaction using the customer operation and display section 2 and entered the amount, banknotes are fed out from the denomination specific cassettes 15 and conveyed to the checking section 13 where a check is performed on the banknotes, such as checking their denominations, and the banknotes are counted. After the denominations of the banknotes have been determined and the banknotes have been counted, the banknotes are then conveyed to the deposit and withdrawal port 12 where they are accumulated. In the banknote processing apparatus 8, when banknotes of the amount entered by the customer have been accumulated in the deposit and withdrawal port 12, the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11 are opened and the banknotes are paid out. Note that in a withdrawal transaction, when banknotes checked in the checking section 13 are found to have an indeterminate denomination or detected as having abnormal conveying, such banknotes are conveyed as reject banknotes to the temporary holding section 14 where they are temporarily stored. Then, in the banknote processing apparatus 8, after normal banknotes have been paid out to the customer, the reject banknotes are conveyed from the temporary holding section 14 to the reject note cassette 16 where they are stored.
However, if the banknotes are not actually taken when a specific duration has elapsed from when the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11 were opened in the above withdrawal, namely when a sensor (not shown in the drawings) provided to the deposit and withdrawal port 12 is still detecting the stacked banknotes, the controller 9 determines that the banknotes have been left behind by a customer, and closes the external shutter 7 and the internal shutter 11. The controller 9 then causes the banknotes to be separated into single banknotes, and the banknotes to be conveyed to the left-behind banknote storage section 17 where they are stored and held (see for example Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (JP-A) No. 2006-58939).